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Mother, four children die in Rivers inferno
A mother and her four children have been burnt to death in a fire outbreak at their residence in the Okochiri community, Okrika LGA of Rivers State.
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September 19, 2026 1:05 am
By Dennis Naku
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A mother and her four children were burnt to death on Friday morning in a fire outbreak at their residence in the Okochiri community, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Although the cause of the inferno could not be immediately established, a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the incident occurred when an individual attempted to discharge petrol into a jerrycan, causing the product to ignite.
The source added that the petrol was suspected to be bad fuel.
Confirming the incident in an interview with our correspondent, the Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika LGA, Igwe Godswill, said details of the incident remained sketchy.
Godswill stated that the lifeless bodies of the woman and her four children were found when he and his team arrived at the scene.
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He said, “There are no proper details as to what happened. But when we got there, we saw that about four children and their mother, a total of five persons, were burnt and died.
“The police had already arrived and taken proper details of what happened. It is so disheartening that this is happening again in our community.”
Godswill added that local youths had extinguished the fire before his arrival, though the victims were believed to have died before the flames were put out.
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He called for an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Meanwhile, a video of the incident seen by our correspondent showed a woman complaining about the cramped nature of the building, which had its roof and other parts severely damaged.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Blessing Agabe, confirmed the incident, saying the mother and three of her children died.
Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, also disclosed that other occupants of the building sustained injuries, while property worth thousands of naira was destroyed in the inferno.
She added that an investigation had begun to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the incident.
“Yes, there was a fire incident in which a woman and her three children tragically lost their lives, while others sustained injuries.
“Property estimated at thousands of naira was also destroyed in the inferno. Investigation is ongoing to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the cause of the fire outbreak,” the state police image maker stated.
Dennis Naku
Dennis Naku is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with approximately 19 years of professional experience. He has previously worked with Champion Newspapers and National Mirror Newspaper, reporting across multiple beats. His work reflects extensive newsroom experience and a commitment to professional journalism practice.
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All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
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News
September 19, 2026 1:05 am
By Dennis Naku
Kindly share this story:
•
•
•
•
•
•
A mother and her four children were burnt to death on Friday morning in a fire outbreak at their residence in the Okochiri community, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Although the cause of the inferno could not be immediately established, a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the incident occurred when an individual attempted to discharge petrol into a jerrycan, causing the product to ignite.
The source added that the petrol was suspected to be bad fuel.
Confirming the incident in an interview with our correspondent, the Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika LGA, Igwe Godswill, said details of the incident remained sketchy.
Godswill stated that the lifeless bodies of the woman and her four children were found when he and his team arrived at the scene.
See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google
He said, “There are no proper details as to what happened. But when we got there, we saw that about four children and their mother, a total of five persons, were burnt and died.
“The police had already arrived and taken proper details of what happened. It is so disheartening that this is happening again in our community.”
Godswill added that local youths had extinguished the fire before his arrival, though the victims were believed to have died before the flames were put out.
• Ex-Reps deputy speaker lauds Wike over Rivers devt
• Fire outbreak kills mother, four children in Rivers
• WOW Experience Launches TheNaijaDreams, Inviting Nigerians to Share Their Dreams for Nigeria — and the Part They Will Play
He called for an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Meanwhile, a video of the incident seen by our correspondent showed a woman complaining about the cramped nature of the building, which had its roof and other parts severely damaged.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Blessing Agabe, confirmed the incident, saying the mother and three of her children died.
Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, also disclosed that other occupants of the building sustained injuries, while property worth thousands of naira was destroyed in the inferno.
She added that an investigation had begun to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the incident.
“Yes, there was a fire incident in which a woman and her three children tragically lost their lives, while others sustained injuries.
“Property estimated at thousands of naira was also destroyed in the inferno. Investigation is ongoing to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the cause of the fire outbreak,” the state police image maker stated.
Dennis Naku
Dennis Naku is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with approximately 19 years of professional experience. He has previously worked with Champion Newspapers and National Mirror Newspaper, reporting across multiple beats. His work reflects extensive newsroom experience and a commitment to professional journalism practice.
Kindly share this story:
•
•
•
•
•
•
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google
Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!
Join The Punch Newspapers Channel
Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.
Get the Punch News App
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